Heard in the Hall

It's been a tough week for Philadelphia, and the newspapers report what's obvious to everyone: the city is on edge. Three cops shot in four days. Two massive manhunts. "Murder and mayhem," as Michael Nutter put it, not a mile from the site where seven presidential candidates were debating. Worse, officer Charles Cassidy, shot at a Dunkin' Donuts yesterday morning, is in grave condition this morning. Crime is the story of the day, the story of the year. The Inquirer looks at the alarming targeting of police officers here. A report on Cassidy's shooting is here. The man who shot three people in Center City before taking aim at another officer and plunging into the Schulkyll River? A convicted murderer, recently released from prison. Those who know Cassidy are reeling. The Daily News of course is all over the events as well. Stories here, here, here, and here.

There was plenty of other news yesterday as well. Critics and supporters of the Philadelphia Parking Authority debate how well the agency has been run. It turns out that Smokin' Joe Frazier is a Philadelphia tax deadbeat. Michael Nutter unveiled his public health plan. PICA warned that the city is spending far too little on infrastructure investment. And 8th District Council candidate Jim Foster said he would throw his support behind fellow challenger Rev. Jesse Brown, in an attempt to unseat incumbent Donna Reed Miller.

At 10:14 a.m., City Council paused for a moment of silence during its weekly meeting, and Iman Mohamed Shebata opened the meeting with a prayer in Arabic for Cassidy. Eighteen minutes later, Council President Anna Verna stopped the meeting to announce Cassidy's death. The chamber groaned.

"Let's just hope that things change in this city," Verna said.

"May he rest in peace," Councilman Juan Ramos said from the podium, where he as standing for a ceremonial resolution.

David Oh's hitting the airwaves this weekend, with an ad touting his Inquirer editorial board endorsement and the other organizations backing his candidacy.

One thing that doesn't come up at all? The fact that David Oh is a Republican candidate for City Council.

Oh's campaign manager says you can spot the ad on the big network channels this weekend.

State Rep. William Keller and City Controller Alan Butkovitz yesterday urged support of a bill that would require parolees to voluntarily submit to searches at any time as a condition of their release from prison.
The measure passed the state House of Representatives Wednesday by a 189-8 vote. Keller said he was seeking a hearing on the bill before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The bill applies only to those who commit violent or gun-related crimes, and has been supported by Commissioner Sylvester Johnson. Parolees would have to sign a waiver as a condition of parole that allows any law enforcement officer to search their person, home, car or other property without cause.
Keller, who introduced the bill at Butkovitz’s request, said Jerome Whitaker, 29, who wounded four people, including police officer Mariano Santiago Tuesday — was a parolee who would have been a perfect candidate for such a program. Whitaker jumped into the Schuylkill River and drowned following the shootings.

The election is days away, but all eyes remain on crime and the manhunt for officer Chuck Cassidy's killer. We check in with officers to see how they're reacting to the third shooting of one of their own in less than a week. In one small bit of good news, Officer Mariano Santiago - the cop shot Tuesday night in Center City - was released from the hospital and is heading home. Cassidy will be remembered in a City Hall memorial service in Room 202 at 10 a.m. today. Our readers are thinking crime first as well. Check out this comment thread re: Cassidy's death, full of grief, vitriol, policy debates and general pain over the state of the city's streets.

On the political front, City Council passed legislation that offers tax breaks to employers who hire ex-offenders, a victory for the bill's sponsor Wilson Goode Jr., and for Michael Nutter, who backed the legislation. A study by Mayor Street's education taskforce recommended that Philadelphia's public schools be moved back under city control by 2010. Clout takes a look at the meager street money available for this election. Also in the Daily News: after years of negotiations, Councilman Brian O'Neill gave the greenlight to Fox Chase Cancer's Center expansion plans, and it looks like Mayor Street will leave his successor with a surpringly big budget surplus.

Marcia Gelbart's just filed this report:

Mayor Street opened up a City Hall prayer vigil this morning with the recognition that in the wake of Police Officer Chuck Cassidy's death the city is ubder "psychological, emotional and spiritual" stress.

"We have a family that needs a lot of prayer," Street told a crowd gathered in a second-floor reception room. "We have a police commissioner that needs to becomforted and supported."
Several religious leaders, one by one, offered individual remarks.

Commissioner Sylvester Johnson could not be present because he was attending a pre-planned police promotion ceremony at Temple University.

The mayor left at 10:35 to attend the ceremony.

Among the elected officials present are Congrssmembers Bob Brady, Allyson Schwartz and Chaka Fattah, as well as several City Councilmen, and mayoral nominees Michael Nutter and Al Taubenberger.

The vigil was orgamized by the city Commission on Huaman Relations.

Michael Nutter’s noontime get-out-the-vote rally at Love Park turned into a rally against violence, with Nutter sounding less like a mayor and more like the mayor in talking about finding the killer of police officer Chuck Cassidy.

"Somebody knows. Be a man, be a woman, be a civilized citizen in this city and tell what you know. Because somebody knows. And that person out there who did it, you know what you did. You know it was wrong," Nutter intoned.

"You know we’re looking for you. You know we’re gonna find you. You know we’re gonna find you," he repeated, his voice rising. "We will not rest, we will not get tired, we will not go to sleep, we will not forget."

"WE. WILL. FIND YOU," he thundered. "Give up. Give up right now."

Inspector General Seth Williams went undercover on Halloween to investigate a suspected violator of Philadelphia’s employee residency requirement.
Williams, decked out as a Rastafarian, deputized his 3-year-old daughter (aka DeeDee Doodlebop) and 7-year-old daughter (aka Violet Incredible) and went to Lansdowne to knock on the door of a Department of Human Services employee who swears he lives in the city. Williams said the man, whose name he wouldn’t release because the investigation is continuing, answered the door when they knocked about 8:30 p.m. He told them he wasn’t giving out candy.
“The trick was on him,” Williams said. Residency violators be warned: Make sure you look twice at Santa. And the elves.

The election is tomorrow. Will anyone show? The Inquirer wrestled with that question over the weekend, pondering the possibility that Democratic mayoral nominee Michael Nutter might set two records: one for a record win, in percentage terms, and another for drawing the lowest election-day turnout in decades. The final debate of the campaign season seems unlikely to have created more interest in this one-sided contest. There are other races, however, and they could be close. David Oh's quest to become one of (almost certainly) two at-large Republicans on City Council, for example, and the fight for the state Supreme Court.

Still you can't blame folks for looking past Tuesday. John Baer has an interesting sit-down interview with Michael Nutter, who's doing nothing to tamp down the high expectations that have built up around him. Tom Ferrick takes a look at the city's mood on the eve of this election, and finds that people are hopeful, even as they tell pollsters that the city is worse off then it was before. Mayor Street is thinking about his legacy.

Elsewhere, the manhunt contintues for officer Chuck Cassidy's killer.

It's almost Election Day and here comes the late money to win elections and make friends. Electronic filings with the Department of Records show Mikey Nutter coalition-buying, er, building, with $10,000 from Nutter for Mayor to incumbent Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller, whose support he will need in a new administration, and $5,000 to Democratic council candidate Bill Green, a professed Nutter ally who will easily win a seat Tuesday. Both contributions were made Oct. 31.
Incumbent Republican at-large Councilman Jack Kelly, in battle for his political life (he has said this is likely his last term), got $10,000 on Oct. 26 from Michael Karp's University City Housing Associates, one of the largest rental landlords in the area, and another $10-large from ol' reliable state Rep. John Perzel, the Republican powerhouse from North Philly. Perzel gave from his Friends of John Perzel Nov. 1.
Incumbent Republican District Councilman Brian J. O'Neill also got some last minute juice, with the United Brothers of Carpenters and Joiners and the Federal Employees Credit Union PAC kindly chipping in $10,000 each on Oct. 23.
Neither Kelly's Democratic opponent, Sean McAleer, or Kelly's chief Republican rival, David Oh, showed that kind of last-minute money.
And in the "here's a bunch of money even though you don't need it" category, unopposed Municipal Court Judge candidate Jacquelyn Frazier-Lyde (Joe Frazier's daughter) received $25,000 from the Laborers District Council PAC on Nov. 1. That's no surprise -- she used to be
administrator and Legal Fund Counsel for the Laborers’ District Council Prepaid Legal Fund in Philadelphia. And for those of you wondering about city campaign contribution limits ($20,000 for a PAC in the Mayor's race, $10,000 for a PAC in other races), they don't apply to Judges, who are state employees.

Election day is upon us, and Heard in the Hall will be tracking events all day. Check back here for returns, for reports from the polls, for the dish from the Famous Deli, for the scene from the candidate's election parties and more. Please send us tips and stories from the voting booth.

After a long and stormy night, it looks like the day is beginning to dry out, which is good news in terms of turnout. It's easy to imagine a record low had the rain kept up. On, tap today? A mayor's race (of sorts), a pair of district council races that could get interesting, and the David Oh-Jack Kelly fight for one of two GOP at-large council seats. There's more drama to be had in the suburbs, and Philadelphia judicial candidates seeking statewide office have their fingers crossed that turnout isn't too terrible. Read all about it here.

Elsewhere: Philadelphia police nabbed the alleged killer of Chuck Cassidy at a homeless shelter in Miami this morning. Gov. Rendell asked City Controller Alan Butkovitz to begin an intensive audit of the Philadelphia Parking Authority, and Inspector General Seth Williams said he would look into the PPA consulting contract of former GOP ward leader and current BRT member James Dintino. It seems Michael Nutter was not invited to a recent confab starring SugarHouse casino bigs and Mayor Street and Gov. Rendell.

Just how much of a charade is this mayoral race? So much so that the city's independent election watchdog, the Committee of Seventy, is already sending out press releases announcing which candidate - likely - would be making his first address after today's election ends.
On the other hand, it's no surprise who that is.

MEDIA ADVISORY Contact: Ellen Mattleman Kaplan

Vice President and Policy Director

(215) 557-3600, ext. 102

(267) 241-1628 (cell)

MAYOR-ELECT OF PHILADELPHIA TO MAKE FIRST OFFICIAL ADDRESS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2007

WHAT: New Mayor-Elect of Philadelphia (likely Democratic and former City Councilman Michael Nutter) will make his first public address on the morning after the general election at a breakfast hosted by the Committee of Seventy.

WHY: This is the first opportunity for citizens and members of the news media to hear from Philadelphia’s next Mayor about plans for transitioning to his new administration.

WHEN: Wednesday, November 7, 2007 at 8 a.m. (Doors open at 7:30 a.m.) Mayoral address scheduled for 8:45 a.m.

WHERE: The Park Hyatt at the Bellevue, 200 S. South Broad Street, Grand Ballroom.

Background: The morning after the general election, the new Mayor-Elect of Philadelphia will make his first official address to the City at a breakfast for 400 people hosted by the Committee of Seventy. Seventy is the oldest organization in the country devoted to fostering citizen involvement and improving local government.

“Once the election is over, the winner has to immediately turn his attention from what he might do if elected to what he will do as Mayor. That’s what people hope to hear,” said Zachary Stalberg, Seventy’s President and CEO. “We are looking forward to welcoming the new Mayor as he begins to spell out his agenda for the transition and the beginning of his term.” Stalberg commended both Democrat Michael Nutter and Republican Al Taubenberger for running a civil and issues-oriented campaign. As a sign of appreciation, Seventy has also invited the losing mayoral candidate to offer brief remarks at the November 6th breakfast. Stalberg said he hopes that bringing the candidates together after the election will become a new tradition.

The Committee of Seventy is a non-partisan organization conducting a permanent campaign to improve the Philadelphia region by demanding ethical conduct of public officials, safeguarding elections, promoting government efficiency and educating citizens.

Some questions to ponder as we wait for the polls to close to tell us what we already know.

Why did Michael Nutter skip the traditional corned-beef lunch at the Famous Fourth Street Deli? Democratic Party chairman Bob Brady came. State Sen. Vincent Fumo was there. Even Nutter's GOP challenger Taubenberer made an appearance. Was this move part of Nutter's reformist message? Or does he simply not like their matzo ball soup?

Will Nutter ditch the post-Election Day lunch at The Palm?

This is Mayor Street's last Election Day as a public official of three decades. How did he spend it?

For the record, the number of voters who cast ballots in the 1995 mayoral race: 327,863. What will that number be tonight?

The Committee of Seventy sent out a press release earlier (see posting below) announcing tomorrow morning’s first scheduled address by Philadelphia’s newly-elected mayor.

But the watchdog group never meant to say WHO that mayor would be.

That part of the news release – saying the speech would be delivered by the “New Mayor-Elect of Philadelphia (likely Democratic and former City Councilman Michael Nutter)” - was apparently inserted by the media firm, Bellevue Communications, that Seventy hired to get the news out.

“It had been edited to include the name of the likely winner of tonight’s election,” Seventy vice president Ellen Mattleman Kaplan told us a few moments ago. “The Committee of Seventy would never have named the winner of the election prior to the outcome.”

City Councilwoman Carol Ann Campbell may be secretary of the Democratic City Committee, but that doesn't mean she's voting straight ticket.
Campbell said she gave one of her five votes for at-large City Council person to fellow Council member Jack Kelly, even though he's a Republican. "I like Jack Kelly," Campbell said. "He's a nice man, he's a good man, his heart is in the right place."
(Campbell also confesses a certain fondness for Irish politicians, who ran with her father, long-time Clerk of Quarter Sessions and Ward Leader Edgar Campbell Sr.).
But her Kelly vote means one of five Democrats running for at-large seat didn't get her vote.
So who was it, Carol? Jim Kenney, Wilson Goode Jr., Blondell Reynolds Brown, William Greenlee. or Bill Green? She won't tell -- "They'll run me out of there on the rails," she said.
Campbell will certainly not be alone among political realists who understand that the five Democrats can't lose, and Democratic votes will determine which Republicans win the two at large seats reserved for the minority.

Polls are closing right now, and from what we've gathered in visits to polling places across the city, turnout was dismal. Bad enough to set a new record? Maybe. The morning rain didn't help. Neither did the waits at some locations created by a long and confusing ballot. We hear though that Chinatown precincts were fairly busy. Good news, perhaps, for GOP at-large city council candidate David Oh?

Remember the war of words earlier this year between D.A. Lynne Abraham and Mayor Street? Well Abraham sure does. She kept it up tonight, offering an unsolicited critique of Street to Marcia Gelbart, who's covering the scene at Nutter headquarters.

"This mayor’s major fatal flaw was that he thought the police could do it all and he cut the courts out," Abraham said.

Asked about Nutter, the district attorney replied: “he has said everybody will be at the table which is a welcome statement.”

All this from Marcia Gelbart:

Michael Nutter has made his way to his election night party at the Warwick Hotel, where he stopped briefly to speak to reporters (some still call him "Mike!" We'll see if that changes tomorrow).

"I think people are ready for change and they are ready to come out and vote for it. We’re going to change the way we do business in the city," Nutter said.

Regarding Police Officer Chuck Cassidy's killer: "I knew they’d get him and I’m glad they got him.”

And sked if he’d heard yet from his GOP opponent, Nutter smiled broadly and said: "No. Today is possibly the only day I’ve not talked to Al Taubenberger."

NUTTER, MICHAEL
DEMOCRATIC
38645
82.32 %

TAUBENBERGER, AL
REPUBLICAN
8146
17.35 %

Heard in the Hall must be brief this morning, as Michael Nutter's first major address as mayor-elect will begin within an hour. But here are the highlights from last night: Nutter rolled to a historic win, the biggest since 1931. Turnout was very, very poor. The GOP at-large race remains too close to call, with David Oh holding the slimmest of leads over incumbent Jack Kelly. Councilman Brian O'Neill comfortably fended off a challenge from Sean McAleer, and no other district council challenger came remotely close to winning. We'll have much more for you throughout the day, including a take on Nutter's first address later this morning.

In his first address as mayor elect, Michael Nutter hearkened back to John F. Kennedy's call to public service and asked for the city's "best and brightest" to join his administration.

I want people to start thinking about changing their lives and changing their careers, to come into the government of the City of Philadelphia. Whether it's an executive loan program for experienced executives or also the rising stars in your company. We need your help in order to turn this government around, to change our policies and practices, to have new ideas and new ways of doing business in this city... We need your help and support to show us some of the things you do in your companies to drive value, to enhance shareholder value, to drive revenue up, cut costs and make your bottom line work.

I want you to start thinking about it. Whether it's time for you to make a change, take a detour. And I understand that public service may not be for everyone for the long haul. There is no higher calling, there is no better way to serve your fellow Philadelphians and people in the region then to consider coming into public service. I need your help and I'm asking for your support.

Nutter's remarks seem tailored to the audience, a large group of business leaders who'd asembled for a traditional post-election Committee of 70 breakfast. His speech was mellower than many he has delivered recently, and he spent plenty of time talking about what executives could do to help his administration.

Still, he was received like a rock star ("Bad to the Bone" was played as he entered the ballroom at the Bellevue Hotel where the event was held), and he drew plenty of applause in his 20-minute speech with lines like this: "We need to get over ourselves at a certain level, and stop being so envious of other places. ... We are Philadelphia, and we need to be proud of that."

More to come later.

Update: Want to apply. Nutter is taking resumes over at www.nutter2007.com.

That's the view of the Inquirer's Tom Ferrick. Take a look at his analysis here.

Republican David Oh's lead over incumbent Republican City Councilman Jack Kelly inched up as additional returns came in this morning, but with a 61-vote lead and more than 2,400 absentee, alternative, provisional and military ballots to be counted, election officials said the counting could drag on until Thanksgiving.

By the end of election night, with nearly 97 percent of precincts reporting Oh held a 44-vote lead over Kelly. Additional precincts counted this morning pushed the percentage to 97.38 percent, and Oh led Kelly by 61 votes, 60,137 to 60,076.

The two are fighting for one of two at-large council seats reserved for the minority; incumbent Republican Frank Rizzo beat out Kelly and Oh for the first seat. Five other at-large seats were won by Democrats yesterday.

Bob Lee, the city's voter registration administrator, said he hoped to have an unofficial count of machines by Thursday night, and an official machine count by Friday. But counting of other ballots won't likely begin until Tuesday, after the Veterans Day holiday on Monday. That will be followed by the painstaking process of auditing provisional ballots -- ballots given to people who don't show as registered at their polling place -- to make sure they're legitimate. City Commissioners are supposed to certify the election within 20 days of the vote, or the Monday after Thanksgiving.

"I think we're going to counting for a couple of weeks," Lee said.

As of this morning, elections workers reported 2,238 absentee ballots, 233 alternative ballots, and six military ballots. Alternative ballots are similar to absentee ballots and are given to the handicapped or elderly whose polling place is not fully accessible. More military ballots could come in; they must be postmarked the day before the election and arrive within 7 days after the election.

The number of provisional ballots won't be known before next week.

Answer: Not a heck of a lot of familiar faces.

In fact, if anything underscored the lackluster Election Day that was yesterday, it was the lack of hype and buzz at The Palm at lunchtime today.

That doesn't mean the place was totally uninteresting.

New City Councilman Bill Green took up a chair at a table of half-a-dozen plus union members of John Dougherty's Local 98. He said he plans to catch up on his sleep for the next day or two, and then get to work building his staff.

Also munching away was campaign ad man Neil Oxman. His lunch guest: Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC's Hardball.

Mayor-elect Michael Nutter is likely to name the first member of his administration at 11 a.m., and we'll let you know immediately who it is and what their job will be. Nutter issued a call to public service in his first act as mayor-elect yesterday, while David Oh and Jack Kelly hunkered in for what will likely be a long wait to find out which of them one the last seat on City Council. We'll have updates for you throughout the day.

Larry Tabas comes across as a gentle guy, but the general counsel to the state Republican Party is a guy you want in the room when you're recounting votes and challenging ballots. The Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel partner takes on Democrats with visible relish.
But with two GOP candidates, incumbent City Councilman Jack Kelly and challenger David Oh, locked in battle for the last remaining at-large City Council seat, Tabas has to be careful, lest he or anyone else violate the Republican's 11th Commandment -- Thou Shalt Not Dump on another Republican.
"It's not your typical situation," Tabas said.
Kelly's people have called him, Tabas said, to see if he can provide some type of guidance. While he is a long time friend of Kelly, Tabas said, "I haven't gotten that far," in terms of offering his help.
Oh's lead as of 11:45 a.m. is 16 votes with four divisions still out. This election will be decided by about 2,500 absentee and other ballots to be counted and vetted over the next two weeks.

As predicted in Wednesday's Inquirer, PICA chief Rob Dubow will be the Nutter adminstration's finance director. Just announced. More to come.

From TEMPLE:

PHILADELPHIA – Temple University President Ann Weaver Hart announced today that Mayor John F. Street will teach two undergraduate courses on urban politics and policy in the department of political science during the spring term beginning in January 2008.

“We are delighted that Mayor Street has offered to share his deep experience and acknowledged expertise in urban politics and policy with our students,” Hart said. “His participation will add another dimension to a political science department that has been nationally recognized for providing students with rigorous public service internships and opportunities for hands-on learning in community service.

“We also welcome him as a former teacher who knows the classroom and as a neighbor who understands the strength and diversity of our students and faculty, the uniqueness of our urban mission, and the intellectual and social vibrancy of our campus.”

A 1975 graduate of Temple’s Beasley School of Law, the mayor has long lived within walking distance of the university’s main campus in North Philadelphia. His son Ahkeem is a Temple undergraduate; another son, Leteef, earned a master’s degree in education from Temple; and his daughter Rashida Ng teaches in the architecture program at the university’s Tyler School of Art.

It really gets Mayor John Street's goat when the media claims he's not doing enough about crime, and then ignores events like the one he had today for his anti-truancy program.
Street inducted 246 parents into the program, which he feels is a key part of his Safer Streets initiative. Safer Streets 2007 has included hiring 200 more police officers; opening 11 more Curfew Centers; creating three “one-stop shops” to help ex-offenders re-enter communities; training 1,000 clergy members in conflict resolution techniques; training 174,000 public school children in conflict resolution techniques; getting additional funding for youth violence reduction programs; and advocating stricter handgun laws.
Let it not be said that Heard in the Hall isn't listening! For more on today's ceremony, read on for the press release:

David Oh’s lead over incumbent City Councilman Jack Kelly fell to 7 votes Thursday after all machine votes were counted in the unofficial tally.
Oh, challenging Kelly for one of two at-large council seats reserved for the minority party, has 60,366 votes, to 60,359 for Kelly. He held a 24-vote lead Wednesday before the final 0.5 percent of divisions came today.
Bob Lee, the city's voter registration administrator, said it usually takes several days after the elections to gather all machine cartridges — at least two of them were found in a police cruiser, having fallen out of a plastic bag when the officer delivered them from their polling place. It’s not the first time that has happened.
Official count of the machines, which includes re-reading of digital cartridges, will be done Friday, but that won’t produce a final result.
The race is expected to be decided over the next two weeks as more than 2,400 absentee, military and provisional ballots are counted, starting wtih absentee ballots Friday.

As Michael Nutter began filling his cabinet (Rob Dubow was his first hire, stories here and here), Mayor Street began making his retirement plans. Looks like Hizzoner will be teaching a pair of undegraduate seminars at Temple University next semester, on politics and government naturally. That's a class worth taking, but I imagine he'd be one tough grader. Stories here, here and here.

State Rep. Dwight Evans is taking on a big problem in Harrisburg today. What to do with PGW. He's got legislation that would give the Public Utilities Commission the authority to essentially compel a utility, like PECO, to take control of the problem-ridden gas works.

Jill Porter of the Daily News ponders an interesting question: is Michael Nutter's skin thick enough to be a successful mayor.

When Mayor Street becomes Professor Street next year, guess who's going to join him behind the lectern as a guest speaker? None other than mayor-elect Michael Nutter, a guy who's locked horns with Street perhaps more than any other public figure in the city. In an interview this morning (which you can read all about in Sunday's Inquirer), Nutter said that Street asked him to speak to his class, and Nutter quickly agreed. "I think that'd probably be one of the most well-attended classes that he gives," Nutter said.

The mayor-elect also praised Street for moving quickly to set up transition meetings.

"He wants things to be as smooth as possible and I greatly appreciate that," Nutter said. "We’re two very deeply passionate caring public servants, and from time to time we might have a difference of opinion about some public policy sisues. It’s not personal. And I think Mayor Street wants to make sure that the city of Philadelphia ... functions and operates well after his term is up."

The machine votes are in, and challenger David Oh is still seven votes ahead of incumbent City Councilman Jack Kelly.

That's the official word this afternoon from the city board of elections.

But it's not the last word.

The results have yet to be certified, as nearly 2,400 absentee vote still must be counted.

Here are the actual numbers:

Kelly: 60,359
Oh: 60,366

The counting of absentee and other paper ballots will continue Monday - the Veterans Day holiday - as it did all weekend, to resolve the statistical dead-heat in the race for the last City Council seat.

Sixteen of 17 council seats were decided on Tuesday, most of them painlessly for incumbent candidates. But Republican incumbent Councilman Jack Kelly and challenger David Oh are still fighting for one of two at-large seats reserved for the minority party.

Oh leads Kelly by seven votes, out of more than 120,000 cast, in the official Board of Elections count. But that tally is far from finished, and each candidate’s camp said absentee ballots they have been able to count show a Kelly lead.

The only votes officially counted thus far are machine votes, so the election will be decided by at least 2,600 absentee, alternative, military and provisional ballots.

Meet Lisa Nutter. We get the impression that Philadelphia's next first lady is going to be a lot of fun. Her husband Michael, meanwhile, appear